OPEN: It was almost Christmas Day, and the mother of a 3 year old boy was furiously running from store to store trying to get her last minute shopping done. Suddenly she realized that her son's pudgy little hand was no longer in hers. Frantically she began to look around and then not finding him nearby, began to quickly retrace her steps. She found him standing with his little nose pressed flatly against a frosty window gazing at the manger scene. She shouted his name and upon hearing his mother's voice, he turned and shouted with innocent glee, "Look Mommy! It's baby Jesus - baby Jesus in the hay."

Frustrated because she was pressed for time and because of how scared she had been when he slipped away from her she hastily grabbed his hand and jerked him away saying, "Come on! We don't have time for that!"

APPLY: Now, I REALLY don't think she meant to say that. I doubt she intended to tell her child that they were too busy for Jesus… but that's pretty much how it sounded.

And too often that's actually what happens in people's lives.

Not that that's anything new.

That sort of thing has been happening for ages.

Sometimes its on purpose… sometimes its by accident… but people just get too busy for Jesus.

As an example, consider our story about the Magi this morning.

When you look at a manger scene what do you usually see there?

There's Mary and Joseph, and the baby Jesus. And gathered around the manger, you'll see cows and sheep and shepherds. But who is usually standing at the manger? That's right, the Wise men.

Now a manger is a feeding trough. It's the place where people would put the hay and oats for their cattle. It's something you'd find in a BARN. But when the wise men arrive, where are Mary and Joseph living (vs. 11)? That's right… Joseph and Mary and Jesus are in a HOUSE

"On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother ...

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